As so-called online shopping, it is possible to purchase a product, for example, at a shopping site established on the Internet. At online shopping, it is possible to make payment for purchase with a credit card.
However, a credit card may be used without realizing overuse. In addition, a user may have a concern for inputting a credit card number on an unfamiliar shopping site.
In view of the above-described situations, payment with a so-called virtual prepaid card (hereinafter referred to as “VP card”) has been put to practical use as a payment method for online shopping. Similar to a conventional prepaid card, the VP card is a card with which a sum equivalent to or less than a preliminarily paid sum can be paid. On the other hand, unlike the conventional prepaid card, a VP card does not take a substantial form and is issued as a virtual card of an image. On purchasing a product and or similar service, a user can make payment for purchase by inputting the card number and security code of a VP card.
Since the prepaid sum (value) of a VP card is relatively smaller than a credit limit of a credit card, overuse can be prevented. In addition, although input of a credit card number is still necessary to purchase a VP card, only an input of a card number of the VP card is necessary to purchase a product or similar service, dismissing a concern of telling a shopping site the credit card number.